Vehicle-brake



(No Modl.)

M. POTTER. VEHICLE BRAKE.

Patented Apr. 5, 1892.

- ENVENTOR' i ATTORNEY l STATES ATENT OFFICE. I

VEHICLE-BRAKE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 472,075, dated April 5,1892. Application filed December 12, 1891. Serial No. 4 4, No mod l-l Toall whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, MORGAN POTTER, of Fishkill on the Hudson, county ofDutchess, and State of New York, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Vehicle-l3rakes,

of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description,reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters ofreference marked thereon.

My invention relates to brakes of the class employed in connection withthe wheels of vehicles of various patterns,'and may be regarded in manyrespects as an improvement on the form shown in my patent of December27, 1887, No. 375,383.

- The principal objects of my present invention are to simplify theconstruction of the brake-block; to reduce its cost of manufacture; torender the one form or size of block applicable to wheels of varioussizes; to increase the efficiency of the brake and insure its properbearing and wearing when in use; to provide for the ready, certain, andeasy adjustment of the block to its proper hanging upon the shaft; torender the block compact, and to provide simple and reliable means foradjusting the brake to correspond with the position and shape of thevehicle-wheel. To accomplish these objects and to secure other andfurther advantages in the matters of construction, operation, and use myimprovements involve certain new and useful arrangements or combinationsof parts and particular features of invention, as will be herein firstfully described, and then pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings, Figure l is an elevation showing my improvedbrake-block mounted upon its shaftand the sh aft adj ustablysecured uponthe brake bar or beam, all in accordance with my invention, thebrake-shoe being removed from the shell so as to exhibit the interiorarrangements. Fig. 2 is a side view of the brake block and shoe upon aplane cutting the shaft, portions of the block and shoe being shown insection. Fig. 3 is a face view of the shoe detached from the block.

In all the figures like letters of reference wherever they occurindicate corresponding arts.

A is the brake block or shell mounted upon its shaft B, upon which it isfitted to make a a nut a. The block or shell is in one piece.

0 is an interior spring coiled about a reduced portion of the shaft,engaging with the shaft at one end and at the other end bearing againstthe interior of the shell. The purpose of this spring is to hold theblock in such position upon the shaft that the brake may be carriedevenly and firmly against the wheel when brought into action and toauto;- matically free the brake from the wheel as soon as the brakingforce is released, requiring but a short travel of the brake-bar toentirely free the brake or to bring it up to its bearing on the wheel.Upon shaft B and close to the shell is a short feather b, and upon theshell are two lugs c and d, which, with feather b, serve to limit themovement of the shell around. the shaft. Through lug d I pass aset-screw e, the point of which bears upon feather b and serves toregulate the inclination at which the shell is carried, and to changethis at pleasure by simply turning or unturning the screw, which isalways accessilole from the exterior.

D is the shoe or the piece which is to wear upon the wheel or tire. Itmay be made of any material, but is preferably made of cast metal. Itcovers the open face of the shell, extending above and below the shell,as well as beyond its sides. It is secured to the shell by bolts, as ff, passing through the shell and provided with nuts, as g g, upon theback, where they are accessible for tightening the shoe or removing it.Upon the back of the shoe are projections or guides h h, which enternotches 1' i in the ends of the shell, thus insuring the proper seatingof the shoe, as well as adding to its security when in place. Within theshell and close to the bolt-holes are stays'k and H. The shoe is broughtto a firmbearing against these by the bolts f. They operate asadditional bearing-points for the shoe, and they stiffen and strengthenthe shell in the region of the bolt-holes. The stay is extends towardthe side far enough to form a convenient bar for confining the end ofthe spring within proper limits of movement. The shoe D may be as wideas may be desired, and the one pattern of shell will answer forpreferably cast partial revolution, and secured thereon as by' Imounting any width of shoe, thus adapting the block for light or heavywork. The face of the shoe is serrated or ribbed from the central linetoward each side, and the ribs are inclined toward the top, as plainlyshown in Fig. 3. By thus preparingthe face of the shoe when it ishearing against the wheel the tendency of the wear is to force itscentral 7 line always toward the center of the width of the tire. Thisis not only advantageous in the working of the brake, but it insures aneven wearing and prevents any undue crowding of the brake to one side orthe other. To keep the interior of the shell free of water and otheraccumulations I provide a draining orifice m near the lower end of theshell. This extends nearly the width of the shell, is always open, andis brought down close to the shoe, by reason of which the shell may bemade quite shallow at the ends or compact, While at the same timepreserving its strength and freedom from interfering or deterioratingsubstances within.

The shoe mounted as shown in Fig. 2 constitutes the inner cover of theshell and may be easily removed and replaced whenever required. E is thebrake -bar by which the brake is brought to working position or carriedaway from the wheel. In connecting the shaft of the brake-block withthis bar instead of making the connection immovable, as has heretoforebeen the practice, I provide for ad- 3' ustin g the position of thebrake-block so that it may be located accurately and properly tocorrespond with the position of the wheel against which it is to work.Upon the under face of bar E, I secure a plate F, having ribs, as n n,and upon the upper face of the extended part of the shaft, I form anumber of grooves, as 0 0, calculated to receive the ribs n, but of agreater number. (The grooves might be made in the plate and the ribs onthe shaft-extension.) The shaft is secured to the bar by bolts, as G G,passing through elongated slots, as at II II, in the shaft-extension. Byloosening the bolts G the shaft may be adjusted back and forth on thebar, and when in proper place firmly secured, as will be readilyunderstood. \V heels of (litterent makes are differently dished, andthis adjustable feature renders it easy to adapt the brake-block to anywheel or to change it from use on one wheel to correspond with another.

On the side of the shaft-extension toward the wheel and near the end ofthe bar is a lip I, extending up alongside the bar. This serves totransmit the strain on the bar to the shaft, and with the bolts makesthe union amply solid and secure.

The improved device is cheap, substantial, compact, self-cleaning, andin all respects well calculated to answer the purposes or objectspreviously set forth.

Having now fully described my invention, what I claim as new therein,and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a brake for vehicles, the combination, with the shell journaledupon the shaft and having an interior spring, of exterior lugs, aprojection upon the shaft, and a regulatingscrew arranged to bearagainst said projection, substantially as and for the purposes setforth.

2. In a brake for vehicles, the combination of the spring-actuated shelland the shoe covering the open face thereof, said shoe being secured inplace by bolts passing through it and through the shell, substantiallyas and for the purposes set forth.

8. In a brake for vehicles, the combination of the shell and the shoemounted thereon, the shoe being provided with lugs upon its back and theends of the shell being notched to receive said lugs, substantially asset forth.

at. The combination of the shell provided wi thbolt-holes and interiorstays, as explained, the shoe removably secured upon said shell andbearing against the stays, substantially as and for the purposes setforth.

5. In combination with the shell, the movable brake-shoe mounted thereonand provided upon its working face with ribs inclined from its centralline toward its sides and top, substantially as shown and described.

6. The combination of the shell and the shoe covering its face, theshell being provided with a draining-orifice through its back and nearits lower end, substantially as shown and described.

7. The combination, with the brakeshaft provided with grooves and slots,as explained, of the plate mounted upon the brake-bar and provided withribs, and the securing-bolts, substantially as and for the purposes setforth.

8. The combination, with the brake-shaft adjustably mounted upon thebrake-bar, of the side lip. arranged to bear against said bar,substantially as and for the purpose explained.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto set my hand inthe presence of two witnesses.

MORGAN POTTER.

Witnesses:

M. E. CUn'rIss, GEO. M CALLAIIAN.

